I Could Do It In My Sleep
When I travel, I have routines that help me stay organized. I carry the same suitcase and backpack, and my passport and boarding pass go in the same pocket. All my power cords are neatly stored in their respective spots…you get the idea. This helps me pack quickly, remember important must-haves and comfortably travel.
We all have routines we’re so used to, that we could do them in our sleep.
Some of these routines are helpful and some not so much. How about the plop on the sofa to watch the same old show on TV with the bowl of ice cream routine? Not so helpful is it?
What routines do you have at work that positively (or negatively) impact your ability to be satisfied, energized & productive?
When your boss calls or emails you, do you routinely worry or feel put-out by the interruption?
When surrounded by coworkers, does your routine include gossiping or complaining?
If you’re a manager, do you routinely jump in to fix problems that someone on the team could take care of so that you can “save the day”?
If you want to create your own Professional Paradise – or positively impact other’s ability to create theirs – then you’ve got to wake up and consciously create your routines. Stop the knee jerk reactions that are your old habits.
Here are three ideas for new – more positive – routines.
- Create Gratitude Triggers™ – pick something that you routinely do and add a gratitude component to it. Here’s an example to get you started. As you pull into your parking space at work and park your car, think of things you are grateful for about your job.
- Step up and get involved – next time something happens that you aren’t happy about, instead of routinely complaining and pointing fingers at others, step up and offer to help solve the problem.
- Disengage from the drama – when others start to tell stories of gloom and doom or talk about coworkers behind their back, just politely walk away. No big speeches about taking the moral high ground. Just disengage.
Routines save us a lot of time and make extra space in our brains for thinking about other things. They can be incredibly helpful when they are positive and well executed. Start to notice your routines and beef up the ones that help you become more satisfied, energized & productive at work.